Freakin' Rican Carryout & Catering, located at 2615 S. Smithville Road, is expected to soft open in March.
From software engineer to restaurant owner
After graduating high school in Brooklyn, N.Y., Padilla served in the Navy for 10 years. He went on to study computer science and network forensics, before working as a software engineer for almost 20 years.
Padilla opened a gaming store in Coshocton, Ohio in 2010 and as a way to keep his customers there, he turned an empty space into a kitchen and sold Puerto Rican and American food.
“They were staying longer, playing more games (and) spending more money,” Padilla said.
He quickly outgrew the 1,100-square-foot space and moved into a 14,000-square-foot space. Padilla needed to build a kitchen from scratch, so he used a food trailer as a mobile kitchen for the time being.
The move to Dayton
After seven years, he shut down his store and restaurant because he was diagnosed with testicular and pancreatic cancer.
“I did my surgeries and everything, so we’re good,” Padilla said. “I’m blessed to be here.”
In 2019, he moved to Dayton because his girlfriend, Trisha Snell, and late-brother were living here. Padilla continued to operate his food truck and for two years parked it across the street from his soon-to-open restaurant at Advance Auto Parts.
He kept an eye on the space until it was available nearly two years ago. Padilla said they were planning to open sooner, but after a restaurant hood system was stolen, it set them back over a year.
What to expect
Customers can expect traditional Puerto Rican food such as empanadas, relleno de papa (refilled potato balls), alcapurrias (fritters stuffed with season meat) and pasteles (a Puerto Rican version of a tamale).
He plans to offer 52 different types of empanadas with new flavors such as buffalo chicken, ham and cheese, strawberry cheesecake and chocolate fudge.
The restaurant will have pernil (Spanish roasted pork) or picadillo (seasoned beef) served over rice and beans. Other items coming soon include jibarito (a skirt steak sandwich served on plantains instead of bread), tripleta (a ham, pork and steak sandwich), salads and pork chop and steak meals.
“Puerto Rican food is not quick,” Padilla said. “It takes a while because there’s definitely tons of layers that go into it.”
Padilla described his food as all flavor and no heat. The heat can be added later.
American food such as fresh-cut fries, nachos, quesadillas and chicken nuggets will also be available.
Food is an important part of Puerto Rican culture
All food served at Freakin' Rican is made fresh daily. Padilla uses his family’s recipes.
“My grandmother had two restaurants in Puerto Rico, so it’s been in our family,” Padilla said. “I know how to do all of this because of her.”
Food is an important part of Puerto Rican culture.
“We celebrate around food,” Padilla said. “If there’s food, there are reasons to celebrate.”
For those that haven’t had Puerto Rican food, Padilla said it’s his job to educate. He’s going to let customers sample, before they make their choice.
Seafood is abundant in Puerto Rico culture, but due to an allergy, Freakin' Rican does not offer it. With the opening of the restaurant, Padilla plans to let his employees introduce some seafood options on the food truck.
“This is a team thing,” Padilla said. “I didn’t do this all by myself.”
Expansion is in the future
In the future, Padilla has plans to expand. He hopes to open two other locations in the Dayton region within the next year.
The Freakin' Rican food truck will continue to operate with a second food truck coming soon.
Padilla is excited to see his customers at his restaurant location. He said this is something he’s been talking about for awhile, so he’s excited for people to see it come through.
“Dayton has no idea what’s about to hit them,” Padilla said. “When it comes, it’s going to hit you right in the taste bud.”
MORE DETAILS
Freakin' Rican Carryout & Catering is expected to open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday for carryout and delivery via DoorDash or Grubhub.
The restaurant is hiring. A grand opening is expected at the end of April or early May.
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